Best Video Games in MMA History
MMA is a fast-growing sport. According to UFC president Dana White, the UFC promotion was worth between $9 and $10 billion in 2021. And as the sport grows more popular, so do MMA video games. Fans like to watch and bet on fights, but it can be even more exciting to simulate their favorite events online. This is why game developers are hard at work developing new MMA video game titles every day. Below, we review the top five games that can be just as exciting as a couple of rounds in the octagon.
UFC Undisputed 3
UFC Undisputed 3 is the much-anticipated follow-up to the UFC 2009 AND 2010 titles. While it mixes the format up a little bit, it is widely considered the most popular of the series and one of the best MMA video game titles ever made. In addition to a Pride mode, this Valentine’s Day release features new and improved ways to win fights, which are more realistic than ever. The ground game also comes with some improvements, which are in line with the criticisms the last two games received. Overall, Undisputed 3 is the perfect combination of UFC energy and real MMA gameplay.
UFC: Sudden Impact
Opus released UFC: Sudden Impact before the Undisputed series made its debut. This strategy-heavy game features a highly developed ground game and particularly difficult gameplay. Compared to previous UFC titles, which were more arcade-like, Sudden Impact requires a lot of strategizing and planning. You need to constantly calculate your chances of winning, like you would poker odds https://www.tightpoker.com/poker-odds/, and adjust your attack accordingly. As GameSpy comments, you could easily lose a bout even though a few minutes ago you were “…beating the daylights out of an opponent.” This aspect of Sudden Impact gives it an exciting poker or chess-like quality – much like actual MMA.
UFC Undisputed
UFC Undisputed was irrefutably one of the most anticipated releases in MMA video gaming history, and it did not disappoint. The game’s extensive roster delivers all the big names to your screen, including fighters from the Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight divisions. More excitingly, the control scheme is so complex that you may need to start with the tutorial to play the game. And after you learn the rules – which is just as fun as playing – you need to give your everything to beat the nearly-unbeatable AI.
UFC Undisputed 2010
UFC Undisputed 2009 was a popular release but not so much as its successor. The 2010 installment of the game featured some major and much-anticipated improvements to the career mode. Moreover, it came with brand-new features, including the ability to interact with the cage, southpaw stances for lefties, and even long hair. The ground game was also reworked to excellent results.
EA Sports MMA
When word got out that EA Sports was releasing an MMA title, fans were excited, and understandably so. EA MMA featured highly realistic striking that seemed somewhat inspired by Fight Night. The gameplay was also more fluid compared to its competitors. The only downside is that EA MMA was released before the sport started gaining ground, and there is a glaring lack of big names.
Conclusion
Compared to other sports titles, the MMA genre is relatively new. However, it is growing at almost the same rate as the sport itself, and gamers are excited about the realistic simulation these games offer. These five games are the best of the genre and an excellent place to start exploring the MMA gaming world.
